Word verification craziness

The new word verification on Blogger is driving me nuts. 

Until recently, we were only required to type in one very legible, nonsensical word. Now, there are two swirly, fuzzy difficult-to-read words that will, supposedly, prove that I'm not a robot. Last night, I was making my weekly rounds of blogs to view Illustration Friday entries, and got so frustrated at word verification that I finally logged off and ate ice cream.

I've noticed that some of you have removed it. I have done the same, and hopefully won't get tons of spam. (I'm already getting way too may spam visits from Russian websites, even with word verification turned on.)  But they've made it a bit tricky to turn off:

1.  First of all, you can't be in the new-and-improved (hmmm...) Blogger interface. So, if you're on the new dashboard, click on the little gear wheel up on the right, and select "Old Blogger Interface".
2.  Once you're at the old dashboard (I've missed you, old buddy!), go to Settings, then Comments, and then scroll down to where you can choose to turn off Word Verification.

Whew.

Birthdays

Presidents' Day? Bah, humbug. February used to belong to Lincoln and Washington. I grew up knowing that the twelfth is Abe's birthday, and today is George's. But now I guess they have to share the month with the likes of Millard Fillmore.

So, in honor of Washington's birthday, here's another of my vintage postcards that I started sharing with you earlier in the month. This one was sent to my husband's grandfather on February 23, 1910, and reads (uncorrected):

Wright soon (up in the corner)
Dear Friend, I recived your cards but have been real sick since you left your trunck is all right and it is hear when everver you ge ready for it no mail has come for you since you left
James Rider

I am working on a fun birthday-related drawing that I had hoped to post today, but it's not quite finished, and doesn't read well as a work-in-progress piece. It will be up here in the next couple of days!

Happy Birthday, George!

Illustration Friday: Popularity

I'm interrupting my "botanical hearts" series to bring you this sketch of some hearts of a different sort. These classic little confections enjoy a soaring popularity this time of year. Nothing says "Valentine's Day" quite like conversation hearts.

Oddly enough, they're kind of challenging to draw. I spent a couple of hours on a more "photorealistic" drawing, only to scrap the darn thing. There's something about that type on them that trips me up: it's very imperfectly stamped onto the candies, but that imperfection is hard to duplicate. So I decided to do a quickie drawing, and I think that the more casual sketch sort of suits these little hearts.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

February Hearts, Part 3

3" x 3", Prismacolor colored pencil

The third little heart in the series.

I even remembered to take a work-in-progress scan, probably because 

I needed a break from the repetition of drawing holly berries:

I'm hoping to eventually have nine of these "Nature Hearts",

so that they can be used individually or arranged all together in a square format, 

but here are the three I have so far:

And here's today's vintage Valentine postcard:
(scroll down for previous posts of hearts and vintage Valentines)

This one, from 1912, is to my husband's grandfather's future wife.
The message reads:

Dear Friend, How are you getting along. I am well.
When are you coming down? I hope you will get many Valentines.
True love from Cora B. ____.

February Hearts, Part 2

3" x 3", Prismacolor colored pencil

Here's the second in my new series of little drawings.

(Scroll down for the first.)

And here's another of my vintage Valentine postcards
sent to my husband's grandfather in 1910.

 (I've included this one more for the charming message than for the front image.)

It reads (uncorrected):

Mr. Adams,

Dear friend, rec your card and was very much surprise too hear from you and
 I appreicate being remember very much. Yes; Henry doesn't like me any more. 

Sincerly, Ida

Illustration Friday: Forward

3" x 3", Prismacolor colored pencil

I've been looking forward to February for a while now. (Okay, I know that's a stretch for the topic of "forward", but I hated to miss another week of Illustration Friday!)

. 

Why? Because February is the perfect month to post this first piece in a series of little drawings that I've started. I'll be posting more this week. Hopefully, you'll start to get the theme as you see more of them.

Also, I have a treasure trove of vintage postcards that belonged to my husband's grandfather, and since many of them are Valentines, I thought it'd be fun to share some of them with you throughout the month. Here's the first one, from 1911:

Can you read the message? It's written on the back of the heart embossing and says

"Can you guess. SWAK" (sealed with a kiss)

Happy February!